BABY BALLET CLASS

The four other girls
smile gracefully for the camera
but I'm at the front
smiling and pointing my eyes
off at someone or something.

What did I see there?
I don't remember anything
about the classes, only
the recital where I refused
to get on stage
till they bought me ice cream.

And I sat there crying.
People who'd come to see me
went home disappointed.
They even printed this picture
in the paper, and my parents cut it out
so I could look back, so everyone would know
their daughter's different.